Pentagon Moves to Allow U.S. Military Contractors in Ukraine

The Biden administration is moving toward lifting a de facto ban on American military contractors deploying to Ukraine.

CNN, citing informed officials, reported that this is to help the Ukrainian military maintain and repair U.S.-provided weapons systems.

The United States officially withdrew all of its military trainers from Ukraine before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has ruled out a military presence on Ukrainian territory since then.

As a result, U.S.-provided military equipment that has sustained significant damage in combat has had to be transported out of the country to Poland, Romania, or other NATO countries for repairs, a process which takes time.

According to CNN sources, over the past few months, the Biden administration has been re-examining restrictions on contractors in Ukraine amid the continued advance of Russian troops and the delay in military aid.

They emphasized that the policy is still being developed by administration officials and has not yet received final approval from President Joe Biden.

Once approved, the change would likely be enacted this year and would allow the Pentagon to provide contracts to American companies for work inside Ukraine for the first time since Russia invaded in 2022.

For example, CNN writes that F-16 fighter jets are expected to require regular repairs after Ukraine starts using them.

Companies bidding for the contracts would be required to develop robust risk mitigation plans to mitigate threats to their employees, an official said.

In May, the U.S. State Department approved $100 million worth of services for sustainment support of various U.S. systems for Ukraine. The principal contractors will be determined among approved vendors.

At the same time, military units in Ukraine are trying to restore various systems on their own. Recently, Ukrainian craftsmen demonstrated the process of restoring M777 howitzers.

In June, American engineering company Amentum will provide logistics solutions to the Ukrainian defense industry.